Where art thou freedom
by Ezeray-Chan
Summary: The witch of the waste is a powerful witch indeed and terrifies her kingdom with her powers.She requires blood to sustain her life and feeds monthly.But,once every 500 years she must have the blood of a maiden that will grant her youth once more.SophxHowl
1. The meeting in the dark

Summary: The witch of the waste is a powerful witch indeed and terrifies her kingdom with her powers. She requires blood to sustain her life and feeds monthly…But, once every 500 years she must have the blood of a maiden that will grant her youth once more.

**Disclaimer_ I do not own any characters…only the plot in which I set them in****^_~**

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**_Where art thou freedom?_**

_Chapter I~ The meeting in the dark…_

The sky was as grey as the forgotten ashes in her fireplace, moody and sullen. Sophie looked out the widow into the near darkness of the dusk. Blood red were the clouds surrounding the setting sun. It was a sign they said, a testament to the will of the witch of the waste. For one night, every month she would feed on one young soul and drain them till their last drop. It seemed the only way she could survive was eating the hearts of mortals. Every month another was chosen to satisfy her lust and then she would feed. Every time they would be around the ages of 15 to 20 and were known horrifyingly as 'the ripe years' to all mothers and father raising their young children. Her statue stayed in the courtyard surrounded by deep purple roses. Even with it being just a statue the features were frighteningly erotic and alluring to any gender. That is why once you were within her grasp you could never escape and would fearfully never want to once she had hold of you. She was rumored as the Crimson Seductress, but her maiden name was The Witch of the Waste.

The reason why was in the back of the castle, there was twenty acres of land that was protected by tall stone walls. They were nearly 15 feet high with chiseled pictures of demons with teeth open and their twisted tongues forever screaming in stillness. A stone dome was positioned on top so that it took a horrifying shape of an enormous tomb. And it was said that is where the dead lay. All the victims of her lust for blood and youth piled high. Souls of children trapped for all eternity in rot and decay. And every month one the first, all would shut their windows and doors and never leave their homes till the next day. The night before day brake of the 1st day, the witch of the waste would open the doors to the tomb to lay the next fallen dead and the stench from decades upon decades of rotten flesh would suffocate even a grown man. People were even so smart as to craft bags filled with air in there homes with masks just in case the only air they had in their homes became stale.

As the night grew in she saw the petals of the flowers she had in her garden wilt slightly as she turned from the window with a sigh. She made use of her time knitting the holes in a guard's uniform. She was a seamstress. She had a business making clothes for her town's folk and her skills eventually reached the castle and now she had the duty of making and repairing uniforms and clothes. Even given designs for the new wardrobe for the witch. She was disgusted at the thought of the woman but she had no choice now. Sophie had respectfully declined the duty asked of her and in her doing so the witch of the waste cursed her into the form of an old woman and still gave her charge of her new duty. She would only turn back to her normal form for only one night. The night of the waxing crescent moon. That was of course four days from now. She always yearned for night her bones would not creek and her eyes would be more sharper. But the agony was that since she would stay at that same age of an old woman of 50 or 60, when her true form came only then would she actually age and since she was mostly and old woman and not her youthful self, it seemed as if she would never age, never die. A wretched immortality indeed. In reality the next waxing moon would make her 330 years old exactly, but her calculating her youth, she would just be turning eighteen.

Sophie had finally finished the sleeve of the uniform as she stood up and dusted her apron unconsciously and tidied the two braids in her hair but thought against it and took the out knowing it would soon be time for bed anyway. Her long silver hair came down to her waist as he set a kettle over the fire to prepare her tea. The smell of lotus and honey filled the room as she looked to one of her only companions….a bookshelf. Stories of fantasy and worlds beyond her own wretched one. The only thing that lit up her heart. She oddly picked up a book of Thumbelina as she poured her cup of tea and sat near the widow's ledge. Taking a sip she turned the pages.

She was just at the part where Thumbelina had found her dead friend the bird when a movement outside the window caught her eye.

"The poor animals…." She sighed. "I'm amazed they can even stand the…." Her eyes widened at the terrifying scene. It was a man! She watched in horror as she saw him scratching at the bark of a tree, grabbing at his neck. She stood up so quick her book went flying and the cup of tea spilled all over the floor as the porcelain broke on the hard wood floor. She ran over to the closet as quick as her old legs could and grabbed two leather oxygen bags about the size of a sack of potatoes. She ran to the front door as she opened it and closed it. She was in a small 4 by 4 room as she put the mask to her face. Opening the outer door closing it quickly behind her the sting hit her eyes as tears flowed from them. She looked at the direction of the man as she sprinted with all her might to his side. His blonde hair was mated everywhere and his fingers were digging so hard in the bark they were bleeding a little. Sophie quickly grabbed the back of his neck and the man began to fight her but stopped as she put the mask to his face as she watched him inhaled deeply. She had to get him back before he breathed it all in. She put his arm over her shoulders as she led him to the house.

"_I thank you old woman,"_ she heard his muffled speech in the mask.

"_Don't mention it…youngling,"_ she smirked back at him.

Taking him to the 4 by 4 room, she pressed a button as filtered air blew at the two and went out the little holes that appeared in the very front door as they closed and she opened the door leading inside. She went to put him on the couch but he suddenly fell from her rasp and landed on the floor. She went to get him up but her jaw dropped as she held her head with her shaky wrinkled hand and covering her mouth with the other.

On the floor he lay limp and unmoving as part of his shirt was covered in blood………

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**Hmmmm....lol I know its short but that the start to get ya going lol LOVE teasers^^ Side note: I am planing on making this a long story. I have a lot of ideas to go with this but any feedback would be great. If anybody has any ideas throughout the story for a horrific scene, romantic, funny, or tragic I am all ears. Again I do have my own plots to carry but I think its cool to mix and match ideas. Makes the story come out more interesting especially if you have a hand in in right? lol Well reviews greatly appreciated.**

**Sincerely,**

_Ezeray-Chan..........._


	2. A short faceoff

**Summary: The witch of the waste is a powerful witch indeed and terrifies her kingdom with her powers. She requires blood to sustain her life and feeds monthly…But, once every 500 years she must have the blood of a maiden that will grant her youth once more.**

**Disclaimer_ I do not own any characters…only the plot in which I set them in****^_~**

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**_Where art thou freedom?_**

_Chapter II~ A short face-off_

Getting the man to a long stretched out sofa she laid his body on it as the blood from him trickled down soaking into the old yellow and gold pattered cloth. The dark richness of the blood made him glow bright from his cream skin and the pale blonde of his hair. When he opened his eyes, she was transfixed by the brilliant blue hue. Except for the wound on his bare chest that she could see quite clearly from the wide tear on his puffy white shirt, he could pass for a god. She stood there watching the limp arm that was hanging of the couch have life once again as it came over to wipe the hair from his drained face.

"Sorry to have startled you." He looked up at her sincer. "My legs just gave out from under me, and my head is pounding." She looked over at him and chuckled nervously. "Well if you breath that crap its a wonder its not splitting in two!" as she began to quickly boil a pot of water and grabbed as mant clean towles as possable. "Why on earth were you outside anyway?" Sophie picked up the broken pieces of the tea cup from the floor, placeing a towle over the mess. "You must be from far away not knowing. I haven't seen you in town before."

He laughed coughing slightly,"I thought in my condition I shouldn't speak for fear I'll lose my strength." She looked at him squarely and made a small gruff. "I would think of that yes, but I see the puncture is near your heart and if your talking your still coherent. I'm not going to have dragged your ass in my home if your gonna just kheel over now." bringing the steaming pot to the small cherry wood coffee table. The young man made an amused expression as he watched her dip the towle and ring it out carefully. "Your still avoiding my question. Why were you out tonight?"

He looked up at her seeing the strong brown eyes though he knew she was somewhat scared for the shaking in her hands as she cleaned him. He never asked for her to take care of him, and he could easly cure himself within seconds, but he endured the pain. She looked like a kind woman and he did not want to upset her by revealing he was a wizird himself. Any small majic was fine and some people had learned how to use little spells. Curing a big wound however would call for bigger majic of a wizirad or a sorceress. Concidering the land here and the sorceress that claimed these lands, a powerful majic user would probably be feared amoung the people.

He sighed,"I was betrayed."

She looked up at him for a second and shrugged, "Haven't we all."

He looked intreged by her answer. "Don't you want to know why?"

"Don't know don't care really. You answered my question. Don't need to hear a lifes story."

He smiled looking up at the ceiling. "And I'm guessing that means you as well?"

She was done cleaning the blood but saw the object that had made the wound. A wide gold arrow that was halfway in his skin. She could make out the markings. It was a symbol of a great tree with it bearing fruit that looked like human skulls. The symbol of the witch of the waste. Her face made a slightly disgust expression. Only the guards outside the main palace gate held the golden tipped spears. They were the highest royal gaurdians.. The Topagg. She remembered when she was summond to the palace for the *honor* of making that filthy witches wordrobe.

"Whats wrong Sophie?" he asked in a calm tone. She froze with her holding the towel near the pot of water. He said her name, and she knew damn well she never told him. "Nothing.." she sat up and went to the kitchen to dump the bloody water and fill the pot once more, secretly taking a chopping knife from a drawer out of his sight. Now that she thought about it the place that arrow was at would make a man so much in pain that he would be speaking gibberish. The man on her couch was speaking clear and appart from wincing here and there it didn't seem he was in any excrushiating pain. No mere person could take that much and still be concious.

She wrapped the knife in another towel as she carried it in her arms with the pot. She was on full alert as she sat the pot down but held the towel protectivly. "So how did the witch betray you?"

The man gazed up at her with a steel like look, "I never said I was with the witch." gripping his hands into fists as if on his guard. She staired right back not moving a muscle,"And I never told you my name." The mans lips perced together as if mentaly cursing himself and he closed his eyes. Shophie took this chance to grip the handle of the knife unnoticed.

The air was still and stagnant. Like time seemed to stop as if to postpon an enevidable doom, but she waited...patenly. He still lay there, stiff and unmoving. Eyes closed and his knuckles turning white. Something was happening but she didn't know what. Gripping the handle tight she found the strength to step one foot forward. When her toe touched the floor however something fell from his shirt to bounce off the couch and land on the floor with a thud. Eyes peered down shockingly at the arrow that she had just cleaned around. He had managed to force the arrow out of his body and she knew it had to be by a powerful majic. She wasted no time fearing for her life as she took the knife and lifted high to strike him but his eyes opened lightning quick putting his hands infront of him making a gust of wind come from nowhere. It struck her hand holding the knife as her weapon was flung from her and imbeded in the beam against the ceiling wall. Stund for a mere moment she moved quick back to the kitchen as the man lifted himself from the couch to follow her, "Sophie stop!" She spun around walking backwards looking at him as she passed the fire place. She saw him come after her as she waited for him to get closer to the fireplace. As soon as he was in front of it she made a spell to light the flames and gave it all she got. The spell was very small but it made a big enough flame to engulf him making his arms go up to protect himself.

"I'm not going to hurt you dammit!" she heard him yell as she ran to her room making another spell to lock her door making it slam shut behind her. She huried to her closet opening it to get her chest of stones. After the dealings with the witch of the wasted she studied hard to find away out of the spell that was cast upon her. Along the way she had found stones and herbs with the ability to nulify certain majic making the spells casted null and void. She rumaged through it as she grasped a tan, oval looking stone right when the door to her bedroom opened. She stood up quickly holding the stone infront of her gasping as her hand came to her mouth looking at the man. On the left side of his body was burnt and chared as bone and bits of flesh hung like dried meat. His skull was the same but that was not the reason for her shock. Slowly but surly the muscles on his arm and face returned, rebuilding itself till the smooth cream of skin lay over it once more. He walked up to her as he was nugged back slightly when the tan stone in Sophies hand glowed dimmly as well as a small bubble around her. He sighed. "Can we stop with the nonsence? I said I'm not going to hurt you." he spoke in a soft soothing voice.

She could hardly hear his comforting words with the pounding of her fast beating heart in her ears. Her horror only grew as she saw him reach out his hand and effertlessly pass through the protective barrier. She swore the hand was aiming for her neck. 'Oh heaven he's going to kill me...' she thought as her eyesight started to blur.

He looked at her with a sweet smile hoping to calm her nerves. She seem knowledgable of spells enough to defend herself quite well and was impressed by her tinasity and will. His respect for her grew at the way she handled herself. He tried to lay a friendly hand on her sholder but by the time he almost reached her she began to sway and had to catch her as she fell. He held her and frowned. He had frightened her and she fainted with her whole body going limp making the stone in her hand fall to the floor as it rolled under a dresser. He was careless and should have thought to break it to her more gently what he was capable of. Lifting her gently he laid her on her bed and looked down at her. He knew her name from when he was at the palace. He came there every once in awhile to trade new spells and secrets of the trade with the Crimson Seductress. Why she was known as another name here he did not know. But this was the first time he had ever been here when the air smelled so awfully of death. It was also the first time he had seen Sophie. For not but this morning had he seen her bring in a carage of new clothes for the witch to wear, and their heated conversation before the sorceress dismissed her. He began to cover her with a blanket when out the corner of his eye he seen her clothes move. Taking a closer look he saw the silver of her hair become a honey golden brown. She shrunk at the waist displaying nice roundish hips and her legs became smooth and slender. Her face was removed of wrinkles and a small tint of pink covered her high cheekbones that went well with her soft, small, velvety like lips. Her torso was petite and her arms firmed as well into heathly young skin. The corner of his eyebrow lifted as he covered her completely, now slightly understanding the reason of her fear and the relationship between her and the witch.

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**Wow. Sorry it took me so long. Haven't been at a comp in forever. And not only that the next chapter I had a hard time with cause I don't really know how far I can go with mature content lol. But anyways...**

**Nicola~ **Thanks and I think I'll just write out my stories. I really don't think I need a beta reader I just want to write stories and thats fine with me^_^

**prettyinpinkgal~ **Never knew there was a book but it would be pretty cool to read it though! So yeah, mainly basing off the movie. And the rated M *IS* for later chapters. I would love to know how far I could go thats why I sheilded the next chapter. But if I could go all out someone PLZ tell me that would be awesome!

**And thanks to **Chi Yagami **and **talkstoangels77** for your support! Sorry it took so damn long..T_T**

**Sencerly,**

_Ezeray~Chan_


	3. Memory in Sleep

Summary: The witch of the waste is a powerful witch indeed and terrifies her kingdom with her powers. She requires blood to sustain her life and feeds monthly…But, once every 500 years she must have the blood of a maiden that will grant her youth once more.

**Disclaimer_ I do not own any characters…only the plot in which I set them in****^_~**

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**_Where art thou freedom?_**

_Chapter III~ Memory in Sleep_

Sophie stood at the outer gate in her summer dress of white with blue laced flowers around the hem. A white corset with the same blue straps went up the front to make a neat bow and covered the see through cream short sleeve shirt. Her long brown hair was braided with a white ribbon to tie it together just like the ribbon that lay on her light brown straw hat sitting on her head. A brown basket cradled in the crook of her arm as the other held a dull parchment. She was in the market to buy more color spools when a man dressed in grey and black came up to her and handed her the rolled up paper with a red waxed _**W **_insignia. She was about to shoo the man away till she saw the symbol of the tree and skulls on the mans belt. She knew that symbol well. It was engraved on all four sides of the pillar that held the statue of the witch. She walked by it once only to look upon it as her temperature rose as well as the hairs on the back of her neck. After that she always took the long way home away from it. But now a summons laid in her hand as she now could no longer ignore her. Better to be face to face with your fear then be dragged out to meet it in the dead of night. People before hand ran, but they were always caught, always found. Sophie past through the tall black marble columns as her heals clicked on the polished copper floors. The soft glow of the candle lit chandeliers shined on the grey, white of skulls that adorned the frame work of the lower walls against the deep red wallpaper making the hallway seem strangely erotic. She knew it wasn't the room but the Aura in it. The Crimson Seductress walked these halls for years enough for her own life force to be enclosed within the very foundation. She walked up to a huge dark wood door guarded by two men dressed in shinny black metal holding the symbol of the tree on their belts and sliver spears. They stood silent as the doors opened to her making her feel more uneasy as she already was. Walking past them a whoosh of heat came over her. Not that it was hot in there but the reason why a small blush coming to her cheeks gave her shame. She was getting closer to that woman and she could feel it. In more ways than she'd EVER want to. Every door she came to was another hit after hit of this wave. By the time she came to the gold entrance where the guards had now changed to gold belts, spears and enriched in red fabric, her knees were about to buckle from underneath her. This time however the guards opened the door for her as she slowly walked inside. She stopped with a shudder as the doors closed behind her.

There, on her deep purple and red throne, sat the Sorceress. She sat up tall and elegant on the throne that looked sickeningly like a bed. More rounded at the feet to where the long pale white of her legs seem to lay on it like silk. Blood red high heels matched the fiery, wild curls on her head and the very small and very tight skirt that lay under a see-through black poncho. It opened in the collar and drifted over her plump breasts to her navel. Sophie's eyes were glassy as she stood before the witch, and felt horrid that such emotion could overtake her body. Even more so that if the black fur scarf that hid her bust was removed she might faint. The cool black abyss of the woman's eyes transfixed Sophie as she began to breath hard and the flush of red now on her cheeks. The lips of the witch smiled in her seductive little way as she lifted her delicate hand with red jewels encased with twisted gold bands hugged her fingers and motioned for her to come forward. Sophie hugged herself protectively but the touch of her own skin made her sway in pleasure making her knees finally give way, sinking to the cold floor. The flirtatious laughter sung like a bell from the woman's throat as she bent her legs in and crawled to the edge of the throne. She lay on her stomach as her breasts pressed against the cool sheets making Sophie look away before her body was overcome with the desire not her own. The Sorceress folded her fingers as she put on them her perfectly sculpted chin and her heels could be seen over her head as her smooth legs swayed back and forth.

"_What a cute little thing you are.._.," she purred. The melodious sound of her voice made Sophie look back at her as if her will was not her own. "_Absolutely delicious..." _She swung her legs over the bed and stood. She walked to Sophie and walked behind her, "_Get up..."_

Within moments Sophie was to her feet. Her lips trembled as she could feel the heated breath of the witch on her neck as her eyes closed slowly. "_Do you know why you are here little bird?" _she still purred. Sophie swallowed as the heat in her continued to grow. She knew it was the witch's doing and she wanted so much to stop it, but her body was against the screams in her head.

"It...It's my turn." She answered hoarsely. _"Hmmmm..so true..." _as she pressed her breast on Sophie's back. She leaned in and caressed the small of her neck with her fingers and made the young girl shutter as she caught her from falling again. "_So sensitive..."_

Sophie's closed eyes made her feel more of the woman's hands on her then she wanted to as a gasp came from her lips when the witch delicately massaged the small of her right breast.

With a small bit of strength Sophie yanked away from her as she twisted around and landed at the foot of the throne heaving. The Sorceress looked down at the girl amused as she lifted her arms and walked over to her, grabbing Sophie's arms and lifting her to the throne. She lay on her back as the witch hung over her and laid stiff in fear. _"A little fight..." _the Sorceress breath in her ear as she nibbled on Sophie's tender lobe making her gasp and squirm. "_Is the most attractive I think..."_

She could feel the woman's fingers on her as she slowly undid the strings of her corset. Her fingers were not her own but under the spell of the sorceress. She felt the light kisses on her neck and the lightning touch of the ' fingers trailing from her collar bone down her torso and to the place now one hand ever gone as her back jerked upward. The feeling was so intense the pleas in her head faded as she gave way to the pleasures that was the Crimson Seductress.

Sophie awoke in her bed as beads of sweat moistened her wrinkled face. That dream. The day that she was chosen to join the children of the lost. She was the only one ever known to survive the night with that woman. The only time the first of the month was crisp and clean. She looked outside the widow as the yellow and green smog outside started to fade a little in the morning sun. 'Unlike the years after unfortunately..'she sighed to herself. She remembered she was sent home afterward. But the next night she was summonded again and had more will power to stop her. And then the next day the witch brought her to the palace again to make her into a seamstress. It was an odd request but Sophie knew that the reason for making her come to the palace so offten was to get Sophie under her will. That the Sorcress needed her for something more than just to fit her new dresses.

She lifted the cover when she realized what had happened last night as she jumped from her bed and grabbed the nearest thing to her. Her walking stick. She gripped it for dear life as she made her way to the door. Her shaky little hand on the door knob as she swung it open and walked out ready to fight, but the man was still there and looked as calm as ever standing next to the lit stove with a pan in his hand. "Bacon and eggs?" He smiled sweetly as Sophies jaw just dropped.

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**Vwalla the 3rd chapter. Reviews keep'em coming! Except for the beta thing. I understand the grammer is not proffesional. But if you understand it thats the whole point. Again, I just want to write stories and have fun doing it. Thank you.**

**Sencerly,**

_Ezeray~Chan_


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